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THEY allowed asbestos contaminated paint flecks and debris to fall and spread over a lawn at a Mackay school in December.

Then they used a domestic vacuum cleaner to clean up some of the flecks, a move Minister for Public Works Robert Schwarten dubbed “stupid”.

These unqualified asbestos removalists also failed to remove 10mm of topsoil where the paint flakes fell and none were wearing protective equipment or masks.

But the painters, from Programmed Maintenance Services, are still contracted by QBuild and are still working at Mackay West State School.

They were working on a school block on Pinder Street on December 16 when test results confirmed asbestos was present.

Asbestos Removal Technology owner Jayson Maskell-Drew confirmed he was working on a separate project at the school that day.

“What the painters did was sand back the asbestos sheets on the walls,” Mr Maskell-Drew said.

“There was paint dust everywhere. They just let it sit on the floor and on the ground.

“They had sanded it back so much that the matrix of the board was showing through.”

The Federal Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos clearly prohibits sanding any materials that contain asbestos.

Mr Schwarten said he was advised the painters ceased work on the site when notified it contained asbestos, however, he called for anyone who could provide evidence suggesting otherwise to come forward.

He also said he did not know why the painters failed to follow processes set out in the code of safety.

“I have no idea why they did (used a domestic vacuum cleaner) as it is a stupid thing to do,” Mr Schwarten said.

Mr Maskell-Drew said allowing contaminated paint flecks to disperse on the lawn area was a continued hazard for students and pupils.

“If they pick up a piece of asbestos paint or stand on it they are making it airborne and therefore breathing in the fibres,” he said.

“There is no safe exposure limit.”

Programmed Maintenance Services branch manager Mark Lee said his staff were not trained in asbestos removal and were unaware sanding was hazardous.

“We got a vacuum cleaner in, which was the wrong vacuum cleaner so we went and hired a proper one,” Mr Lee said.

“It was probably a training issue we needed to deal with. It has been a learning curve.”

Mr Schwarten said the painters began work at the school on December 8.

This was just days after the Queensland Government released an online register of presumed and confirmed asbestos sites at Queensland state schools, of which there were 19 confirmed and 68 presumed asbestos sites at Mackay West State School.

The painters are expected to finish work at the school on February 19.